Every Rose Has Its Thorn
by scarecrow81
Summary: Jamie falls in love for the first time ... with a woman and with the world of the Agency.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King belong to Warner and Shoot the Moon - not me!  
  
Author's Notes: Here's a story about Jamie falling in love and dealing with IFF on an even more personal level. There are a few references to my story "Boundaries," so read that one if you're at all confused. This is the first part ... I'll try not to be too long with the others.  
  
Philip couldn't help but chuckle at the email he was reading. Jamie hadn't mentioned anything but the wonders of architecture, photography and jazz music since he arrived at Georgetown. It had been two years since Philip had helped move his younger brother's junk into the dorm. Not once had Jamie ever mentioned a girl.  
  
'I think I'm in love.' It was all the email said, and all it had to say. Philip shook his head again and reached for the phone.  
  
"Hey, is Jamie home?" He waited as the typical obscenities were exchanged between roommates across the apartment. A loud crash was heard as his younger brother picked up the phone.  
  
"This is Jamie."  
  
"So, my little brother is in love, huh? You haven't mentioned a girl, and all of the sudden you're in love. How long have you been dating her?"  
  
"I'm not dating her. I haven't even spoken to her-"  
  
"You WHAT? Oh, Jamie, come on. This is pathetic, even for you."  
  
"I'll ask you to save the insults, Philip. I saw her for the first time Wednesday in my art history class. She's the most amazing thing I've ever seen," Jamie said, his smile evident through the phone.  
  
"James, what isn't the most amazing thing you've ever seen? You said your two younger siblings were the most amazing things you'd ever seen at their births, respectively. You came home from your trip saying the Kremlin was the most amazing thing ever. Then it was the Parthenon, and the Taj Mahal. Really, Jamie. How amazing can this girl be?" Philip teased.  
  
"Jenny and Matthew are the most amazing things I've ever seen. And those buildings are incredible. But this girl, she's unbelievable. She has these intense brown eyes, and her hair falls about her shoulders in just the right way-" Jamie was interrupted by Philip making gagging sounds into the phone.  
  
"Listen, I know it's late notice, but I was thinking of going home this weekend. Do you want to come with me, or do you have a hot date up your sleeve?" Philip asked.  
  
"What exactly do they pay you to do at Annapolis anyway? It seems to me you can't find anything better to do than dick around on the computer and harass your baby brother over the phone!"  
  
"I represent that comment, smart ass. Now are you coming or aren't you?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll be ready by the time you get here," Jamie answered.  
  
"Leave your books at home, little brother. You remember what happened to your books last time Matty got a hold of them," Philip laughed.  
  
"He was just jealous I was spending more time with the book than him. I won't make the same mistake twice," Jamie laughed with his brother. "I still can't believe he took a crayon to my ninety-five dollar literature book."  
  
"Okay, I should be at your place by 4:30. Don't tell Mom and Lee, it'll be a surprise!"   
  
"Okay, bye Phil," Jamie smiled as he hung up the phone. He glanced over at his desk. Stacks of books and notebooks beckoned him. He ignored them and looked higher, to the shelves. They were full of pictures. There he was, fourteen years old, and holding his baby sister for the first time. He cringed at the braces and glasses. Jamie glanced further down to the picture of Philip holding a one-year-old Jenny while Jamie held his newborn brother in his arms. William Matthew, they had named him, in honor of Lee's best friend and also his father. As he looked up along the walls, more pictures stared back at him. Christmas last year, as Jenny and Matty opened presents. Pictures of the wedding party at that tiny little church on that perfect Christmas Eve. Jamie laughed and looked back at the books. 'Better get a little work done before I leave,' he thought, and plopped down into his desk chair.  
  
  
  
Lee smiled as he pulled into the driveway of his Rockville home. There was Philip's new truck, parked next to the garage. He wondered if Philip had managed to drag his younger brother off campus for the weekend. Before he had a chance to speculate more, the front door opened and two streaks of color flew across the front yard.  
  
"Daddy!" the pair squealed as he stepped out of his car. Lee scooped the two bundles into his arms and kissed them each respectively, right on the nose.  
  
"And what have my partners in crime been up to today?" he smiled.  
  
"Philip and Jamie are here, Daddy!" Jenny squealed as she hugged her father's neck.  
  
"And Jamie didn't even bring any books with him!" Matthew added as he ran back towards the house.  
  
Jenny slipped her hand into her father's as they strode across the lawn. The feelings this simple gesture created in Lee hadn't changed since Jenny had reached for her father's hand for the first time. He was hooked.   
  
Once inside, Jenny let go of his hand and ran across the living room to jump into her handsome big brother's lap. Philip grunted as she landed. Matty already had Jamie engrossed in a Lego project. Lee couldn't help but laugh as he surveyed the scene. It was just like the two older boys had never left.  
  
He looked up, across the room. There was his beautiful wife, watching him intently. He caught his breath at her. They had been married almost a decade, and she hadn't changed a bit. Sure, there were a few more wrinkles and a few more gray hairs, but she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. It was that beauty that he saw now in his children, as he surveyed the room again.  
  
She slipped her hand around his waist as she came to stand next to him.  
  
"I miss this," she whispered, watching her children.  
  
"Me too," he answered.  
  
  
After dinner, Amanda took Jenny and Matthew upstairs for their baths, and Philip had run to the store to get a bottle of Lee's favorite wine. Lee and Jamie cleaned up the table, and then Lee had ducked into his study to wrestle with the computer. Jamie stepped out onto the freshly cut grass of his parents' back lawn, and then collapsed backwards to gaze up at the stars. He missed being home more and more every time he came to visit. It was the reason he was beginning to stay away for longer and longer.  
  
The back door opened and shut, and Lee sat down next to him on the grass, and lit a cigar.   
  
"Your mother hates these things, but it's been Billy's latest passion. He has me hooked," Lee smiled as he puffed the cigar and handed it to Jamie. Jamie took a small puff and passed it back to Lee.  
  
"Oh, I miss that," he sighed.  
  
"But you're healthier now for quitting. And so are your brother and sister," Lee said. It still made him proud to think of the day that Jamie had confided he was going to quit smoking. He was sixteen, and he couldn't be setting a bad example for his younger siblings. He had dropped it cold turkey, and picked up a terrible caffeine habit in its place.  
  
The silence was comfortable. It was a warm September evening, and the sky was beautiful. Jamie heard Philip's truck rumble over the gravel and smiled. He missed these talks in the backyard with Philip and his father. He missed everything so much.  
  
It wasn't long before Philip joined them on the grass and the conversation picked up. Philip loved navy life, especially since he hadn't been on a boat yet. His computer expertise had earned him a quick job at Annapolis behind a desk. Lee and Amanda had both been proud and relieved he wouldn't be moving all over the world.  
  
"So, did you tell Lee about dream girl, Jamie?" Philip laughed. Jamie went three shades of red.  
  
"Dream girl? Jamie, you didn't tell us you were dating anyone!" Lee replied.  
  
"I'm not exactly dating anyone, Lee." Lee and Philip both laughed hysterically. Jamie became even redder. He had learned a lot from both men, but hadn't seemed to pick up their ease around women. "But I'm going to talk to her Monday in history. I swear I will!"  
  
Lee and Philip continued to laugh. Jamie rolled his eyes and lay back down onto the grass. Philip and Lee were talking about the Redskins now, and Jamie was tuning them out. He thought back to when Lee had been the last person he'd ever expect to be lying next to on the grass of a backyard. And yet, here they were.  
  
"Not a day goes by that your mother doesn't talk about how much she misses you two," Lee said after a silence. "And not a day goes by that I don't agree with her."  
  
Philip and Jamie smiled. Lee had become more than a stepfather to both of them. He was Philip's mentor of sorts. And he had become Jamie's best friend. Even when Philip would tell him he was crazy, Lee would always back him up. Over the years, the 'step' had dropped in conversation when they talked about each other. They were Lee's sons, his source of pride and inspiration. Lee was their father, their hero.  
  
About an hour later, Lee and Philip had nearly finished off the "fabulous" bottle of wine, and Jamie was beginning to doze out on the grass, when Amanda joined her boys in the backyard.   
  
"They finally went to bed! You two get them so wound up they don't know what to do with themselves," she giggled as she plopped onto the ground in between her husband's legs. Lee wrapped his arms around his wife as Jamie watched the pair with admiration.  
  
"I don't know if I've ever told you two what a good looking pair you make," Jamie smiled.  
  
"Jamie, you tell us that every time you're home. Is something bothering you sweetheart? You just seem so sentimental lately," Amanda looked over at her son, who looked so very much like her now that he was older.  
  
"I don't know, Mom. I just feel so incomplete being away from home. I have friends at school ... I don't know. I'm just anxious to meet that special 'someone.' I look at you and Lee and just stand amazed. You're more in love than you were when I was twelve," Jamie sighed, returning his gaze to the stars.  
  
"That 'someone' is out there somewhere, Jamie. You just have to be patient. She'll arrive when you least expect it," Lee smiled, nuzzling his chin against Amanda's shoulder.  
  
"I hope you're right, Lee," Jamie sighed. He smiled gently and turned his attention back up to the sky, tuning Lee and his mother out as his stepfather began talking about "new recruits."  
  
  
Jamie raked his hand through his short brown hair and sighed loudly. Class was almost over, and his opportunity to talk to "dream girl" was fast approaching. He gazed at her from across the room. She was an angel; there was no doubt in his mind. He was startled when he realized she was looking back at him, amused at his complete detachment from the lecture. He blushed and turned his attention back to the professor.  
  
"Well, class, I think that about wraps things up for today. Uh, is there an Elizabeth Anderson in this class?" the professor asked, surveying the classroom. Jamie's girl raised her hand.   
  
"Excellent. I need to see you for a few minutes, if you have the time."  
  
Jamie smiled. Elizabeth. Beth. Liz. He waited outside in the lobby for her to come out of the room, until he was late for his next class. He finally gave up and headed across campus to the Foreign Language building. He was taking a graduate level Russian course, and writing a thesis on Dostoevsky. Jamie was the darling of the Russian department, and his professors begged him on a daily basis to double major. But Jamie had his heart set on a Foreign Service degree, even though he had no idea what he'd do with it.  
  
He had a large, loud argument in Russian with his professor, just for the sake of impressing the second year graduate students with his abilities. Jamie would have no problem disappearing into Russia and never returning. After his ordeal when he was fourteen, Jamie's way of dealing with his trauma was by developing a strange obsession with the country he had been held captive in. Amanda, and especially Lee, had been worried sick, but Jamie's psychiatrist had assured them this was a perfectly normal reaction. After class he talked to his professor for a few minutes, and then caught the bus back to his apartment.  
  
  
  
Lee Stetson let out an exasperated growl and dropped his forehead to the desk. Four new recruits had come in this afternoon, and he'd sent them all back to their respective military branches. It was hard to believe how many jokers had been sent to such a serious branch of the government. Lee was waiting for his last appointment, which was now forty-five minutes late. He realized it was raining and traffic was pretty nasty, but this was national security! This person had been summoned by the President himself to join the ranks! And she was forty-five minutes late. Lee shook his head and flipped the radio on behind him.  
  
Thirty minutes later, a soft knock sounded from the office door.   
  
"Come!" Lee barked, and then shook his head again as he realized he had become Billy Melrose.  
  
The door opened slowly, and a timid face peered around the door.  
  
"I'm looking for Lee Stetson," she said with a slight British accent.  
  
"You've found him."  
  
"The door says William Melrose," the female smiled as she stepped into the room.   
  
"Well, that's a long story, uh ... " Lee paused as he flipped through the five manila folders on his desk. "Elizabeth?"  
  
"Yes, sir. Elizabeth Anderson. I'm sorry I'm late, but I don't ever check my messages until after all my classes. By the time my history class was over and I got my summons, I was supposed to be here," she smiled.   
  
"Oh, don't worry about that, Elizabeth." Lee frowned when she mentioned she was still a student. Everyone knew college students made the worst agent candidates, and he couldn't believe one was standing in front of him. She didn't look a day over sixteen. He flipped through her file, and realized Elizabeth was the first agent candidate in six years to be recruited by Dr. Smyth himself. Lee read the sentence again in disbelief. What the hell was Smyth doing above ground to recruit anyone? How on earth had he met this girl? No matter, she was sure to stay in the program, student or not, if only because she had impressed Smyth.  
  
"Where are you a student? What are you studying?"  
  
"I'm a senior at Georgetown. I'm an International Politics major, minoring in Russian," she smiled. Lee realized his mouth was partially open and he snapped it shut.  
  
"That's very surprising! It never occurred to me you might be - a... uh ..."  
  
"Intelligent? A senior in college? Well, big things come in small packages, Mr. Stetson."  
  
"I'll say. My son is a Russian minor at Georgetown, too, coincidentally. He's a Foreign Services major, and my wife and I are hoping he'll go into politics. He's such a smart boy," Lee smiled, as Beth watched his face light up as he talked about his son.  
  
"Foreign Services is a tough major, sir. Sounds like you're training a family of spies," Beth laughed. Lee frowned. None of his children were getting into his business if he had anything to do with it.  
  
"Not quite, Elizabeth. This boy has studied in Prague, Munich, and just came home from Moscow. I don't think he has any desire to get involved in international counterespionage."  
  
"It sounds to me that's exactly what he's interested in!"  
  
"Anyway, Elizabeth. Let me call the woman who you'll be working with most often, and we'll take you on a tour of the building. I encourage you to get excited. This woman is the best agent in my section," Lee smiled again.  
  
  
  
Beth didn't make it back to her apartment until well after midnight. After eating dinner with Lee and Amanda, she had gone over to the library on campus to study. And since it was such a nice night after the rain all day, after studying she'd put the top down on the BMW and taken it for a spin on the Beltway.   
  
She sat down at the kitchen table and sipped hot tea. The events of the day were still sinking in. Uncle Austin had finally recruited her into the Agency. He had been so adamant that she wouldn't work for the government, ever since she was little. She'd have to call him in the morning and find out what caused his sudden change of heart.  
  
Uncle Austin! The man might as well have been her father. He'd done his best to raise her correctly, even though he wasn't there for her much in person. After her parents were killed, Austin sent her to school in London until she graduated. Beth was accepted to Oxford, Harvard, Stanford, and several other prestigious schools. And she'd done it all on her own, without her uncle pulling any strings for her. But Beth wanted to be close to the only remaining family that she had, which was why she chose Georgetown. She still hadn't seen much of Austin ... but they talked on the phone at least once a day and he made it a point to visit whenever he could.  
  
He took care of her. He more than took care of her; he spoiled her. Upon her return to the states, she'd suggested taking the Metro to school everyday. Austin wouldn't hear of it. He wouldn't hear of her living in a dorm either. He bought and completely furnished a gorgeous apartment in the most secure complex in the city. And the first morning of classes, Beth discovered a set of keys in her tea mug. The silver BMW was parked right in front of her door.  
  
Austin had always been overprotective of his niece, which was why Beth was so confused about his sudden decision to offer her a job. Not that it mattered; she already loved it. She loved her section chief, and her mentoring agent, Amanda. Lee assured her going through agent candidacy alone wasn't too hard; he'd done it himself a few years ago. She wasn't scared, just nervous about impressing her uncle.  
  
She rinsed her mug out and shut off the lights on the way to her bedroom. She plopped down in front of the computer to check her email. One new message, from Austin Smyth. It simply read "I'll meet you outside of art history for lunch. Behave, darling." Beth smiled. She wasn't surprised that her uncle knew her class schedule. In fact, she would have been surprised if he hadn't.  
  
After changing into her nightclothes, she slipped under the covers and thought about the boy she had caught staring at her in class that morning. She'd noticed him before. He had all the correct answers in class, all the time. He looked like he never paid attention to lecture, either. Every time Beth glanced back at him, he seemed to be engrossed in drawing something in the margin of his notebook, or twirling his pen around between his fingers.   
  
She wondered what his name was, where he was from, what his family was like. Just by looking at him she could tell he was different. He wouldn't be the type to use her and disappear. He looked like the chivalrous type. The glasses and short brown hair made him look studious, but also very young. He seemed mysterious, but approachable.  
  
Beth stopped herself. She had absolutely no time to think about dating, and something deep down told her that it wouldn't just be dating with this boy. He had commitment written all over him, and Beth didn't like the thought of commitment. Her life was too complicated as it was. And now that she was an agent candidate, national security played a part in any relationship she'd have for the rest of her life. She sighed and turned over, pushing the boy out of her mind and focusing on the sounds from a jazz club across the street.  
  
Jamie sat at the bar of the jazz club, sipping iced tea. His mother would kill him if she knew he played well into the wee hours of the morning on Monday nights. It was the only night that he didn't have classes, and he couldn't possibly give up playing. It had been a good night, and now he was relaxing before catching the Metro back over to his apartment.  
  
He wondered why Elizabeth hadn't come out of class. Maybe she had spotted him waiting for her and went the other way. He didn't like the feelings this girl was causing within him. He was incredibly vulnerable and self-conscious; she seemed invincible and confident. She was beautiful. Jamie couldn't get her out of his mind.  
  
When he finally dragged into the apartment after four, he plopped down at the computer to check his email. One new message from Lee waited for him. It basically told him about the day, meeting the new recruit, who was "gorgeous and intelligent ... just like your mother." Jamie smiled. Good old Lee.  
  
His first class was at noon, so Jamie decided to sleep for about five hours, and then get up and take a run before heading over to class. He undressed and climbed under the quilt. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.  
  
Unfortunately, the sound slumber he was afforded did not last. One of his roommates, Ben, woke him up at 7:30.   
  
"What are you doing, dumbass? You're supposed to take me to the train station this morning, remember?" Ben yelled as he threw whatever he could get his hands on in Jamie's general direction. The sleeping King muttered a curse under his breath and hurried into his clothes.  
  
  
  
Beth was in the Agency parking lot waiting for Lee and Amanda at seven. The three walked into the already bustling bullpen and into Lee's office. They chatted politely for a few minutes until Francine came in with the morning's assignments.   
  
"This one's hot Lee, better give it to the rookie," she muttered as she dropped the folders onto his desk. Amanda rolled her eyes at Francine as the sarcastic senior agent exited the room.  
  
Lee flipped through the folders and glanced up at Beth. She was watching his every move, waiting for her chance to do something to prove herself.  
  
"Well, looks like Francine's instincts were functioning this morning, Elizabeth. We're sending you on a drop," Lee smiled as he looked over at his wife.  
  
"A drop? Don't I need some kind of training before I - "  
  
"No, Elizabeth. You'll go meet T.P. Aquinas over at the Library of Congress, and he'll give you your instructions. This is a minor little drop. Don't worry! You'll be done in time for your first class," Lee tried to reassure her.  
  
Beth stood up to exit.  
  
"You'll be fine, sweetheart. We'll see you this afternoon," Amanda said. Beth's expression softened a little, and she nodded in agreement before walking out the door.  
  
"She'll be fine, Amanda. Absolutely fine."  
  
"It's not her I'm worried about. It's that poor unsuspecting soul dropping their girlfriend off at the train station I'm worried about," she teased and leaned across the desk to give her husband a kiss.  
  
  
"I'm not your girlfriend, Ben! Why couldn't you get Amy to bring your car back?" Jamie argued as they pulled up to the train station.  
  
"Because Amy had class this morning, and you already promised me you'd do it! What's the big deal Jamie? This isn't like you!"  
  
"I've had two hours of sleep Ben, don't start with me," he sighed.  
  
  
  
Beth eased the BMW into a parking space and concealed the envelope inside her jacket before getting out of her car. Mr. Aquinas had told her to hand the envelope to a man in a dark suit. He'd have a red carnation pinned to his lapel. Beth's eyes scanned the crowd, not seeing a man matching the description. She was making her second pass by the ticket booth when she noticed she was being followed. There was a man and a woman, who were staying quite close behind her. She tried not to panic and ducked into the nearest restroom.  
  
She stood in the stall trying to catch her breath and form a plan when she realized the woman had followed her into the restroom. There were several other people in the room with them, so Beth calmly stepped out of the stall and washed her hands, avoiding eye contact with the woman who was following her. She quickly made her way behind the ticket booth and scanned the crowd again for the man with the red carnation. Beth was facing the other direction when she smacked into the tall boy with glasses from her history class.  
  
"Oh my gosh! I'm really sorry! I wasn't paying attention," Jamie stuttered as he helped the girl up. He froze in his shoes as he realized who it was.  
  
Beth looked into his eyes. He seemed to be staring right through her.  
  
"Could you walk with me for a second?"  
  
"Me?" Jamie stood in disbelief and felt himself melt as he heard her speak with the gentle accent for the first time.  
  
"Please. I'm in trouble," Beth pleaded with her eyes.  
  
"Of course I'll walk with you," he replied, offering her his arm.  
  
The pair following her was still close behind, but they were being more cautious now that Jamie was walking with Beth.  
  
"Just look straight forward and act normal," she whispered.  
  
"What's wrong? Why are you in trouble?"  
  
"It's a long story and I don't have time to explain. Just take this envelope. I was supposed to give it to someone but he isn't here. Just keep it, don't open it, and don't lose it. I'll find you again and get it back," she whispered, slowly removing the envelope from her pocket.  
  
"Listen, I have a car here, do you need to get out?"  
  
"No. I need you to play along with me right now. I'm going to get on this train, and you're going to walk away like nothing out of the ordinary happened," she whispered again, this time looking up at Jamie.  
  
"Okay," he replied, looking down at her.  
  
Beth steered Jamie towards the train and he helped her up onto the first step.  
  
"Have a great week, baby," she smiled, and leaned down to kiss him. "I'll call when I get there!" 'What a cover! He must think I'm nuts,' she thought.  
  
"Make sure you call," Jamie managed, as he received a kiss from the beautiful woman. 'What did I just say? She must think I'm nuts,' he thought.  
  
Beth's eyes pleaded with him to keep her secret as she stepped backwards onto the train. Then she broke into a run and darted through the passenger car. Jamie watched in horror as the pair boarded the car Beth had just run through. He was rooted to the ground. Then he remembered her plea. 'Walk away like nothing happened.'  
  
He turned and began to walk, folding the envelope and stuffing it into the back pocket of his jeans. Jamie was almost to his roommate's car when he heard the gunshot.  



	2. Chapter 2

Four hours and a minor surgery later, Beth sat in Lee's office, wearing a military issue sleeveless undershirt and a pair of hospital scrubs. Her right shoulder was stitched up, and the arm rested in a sling. Lee had momentarily stepped out of the office, and Amanda was sitting next to Beth, listening to her story for the third time. Both women jumped as Dr. Smyth burst into the office.  
  
"Damn it, Elizabeth! What were you thinking?" he shouted as he knelt beside the girl, inspecting her shoulder.  
  
"I was thinking Uncle Austin is going to kill me!" she smiled as she tried to calm her uncle down. "I'm sorry I missed our lunch date."  
  
"Elizabeth ..." he began.  
  
She looked up at the man. It had been almost a month since she'd seen him last. Things had been "a three-ring circus" at work, according to her uncle, and he just hadn't been able to get out to see her. He stared down at her with a concern-etched face.  
  
He sighed. "Let's get you home, and we'll talk the whole thing out. I assume you've already been debriefed?"  
  
"Yes, sir," she answered. He helped her out of the chair and they walked through the bullpen. Neither noticed that the entire building had come to a standstill.  
  
Amanda was completely dumbstruck. Had Dr. Smyth just walked into Lee's office and addressed Elizabeth by name? Had he shown genuine concern? Had Elizabeth just called him 'Uncle Austin'? She shook her head in disbelief while replaying the scene in her head. Her tall husband stood in the doorway laughing at her.  
  
"Well, the good news is Smyth isn't going to fire me for sending his niece on a drop her second day of training," Lee smiled, resting his hands on Amanda's shoulders.  
  
"And the bad news?"  
  
"The agent Elizabeth was supposed to deliver to turned up dead this morning in the train station men's room. Elizabeth gave the information to a boy in her history class that she happened to bump into at the station. She swears up and down that she can trust him. She says she had a 'gut feeling' about him," Lee continued.  
  
"A gut feeling, huh?" Amanda smiled, looking up at her husband.  
  
"I just hope she was right about this kid," he sighed, sitting down at his desk. "She says she'll be able to find him on campus later tonight or in class tomorrow."  
  
  
  
Jamie wiped his mouth after throwing up for the third time. He didn't know what to think. Elizabeth had given him this mysterious envelope and kissed him, and then disappeared onto the train. He heard the shot and instead of going to rescue her, he'd jumped into Ben's car and floored it. Now he didn't know if she was dead or alive, and if the envelope he was staring at could end up getting him killed.  
  
He couldn't decide whether he should call Lee or not. This didn't sound anything at all like something that would happen at IFF. Everything was always so professional and running so smoothly. If this was IFF, something had gone terribly wrong. If this was IFF, this meant Elizabeth was a spy. Jamie's stomach began to churn again and he leaned his head over the toilet bowl for the fourth time.  
  
  
  
Austin Smyth looked about as awkward as he felt behind the steering wheel of Beth's car. It had been years since he'd driven. Something told him taking the limousine to her apartment would be too impersonal. He had assisted her into the car and then taken the wheel.  
  
They drove in silence, Beth staring out the window lost in her thoughts. After this incident, she was certain Austin would change his mind about her job. She kicked herself inwardly for pulling the stunt she had accomplished that morning. Giving the envelope to a civilian! Not to mention a civilian she would be seeing on a daily basis. She sighed loudly as the car came to a stop in front of her apartment. Austin struggled out from behind the wheel and helped his niece up to her apartment.  
  
Once they were inside, Austin insisted she get into bed. He went in the kitchen and stared blankly at the refrigerator. There was a picture of he and Beth at her high school graduation taped to the freezer door. Other than that, the entire appliance, inside and out, was empty. Not that that made any difference. The only thing Austin Smyth did for himself anymore was make tea at night when he was alone in his office. He put the water on to boil and made a brief search for the teabags.   
  
Beth opened the doors onto her balcony to hear the city noises, and then climbed into her bed. Austin came in with a cup of tea for each of them, and sat at the foot of the bed. They both watched each other carefully, not sure of what to say.  
  
"Uncle Austin, are you going to fire me?" she asked after a long silence.  
  
"No, Elizabeth, I'm not going to fire you. I hired you because I know you're going to make an incredible agent. It's just taken me an eternity to admit it to myself."  
  
"Are you upset with me?"  
  
"Of course not. You haven't had any training yet, and I know you must have been terrified. What you did was incredibly brave and shows great instinct. Are you aware that your section chief pulled that very stunt almost thirteen years ago?"   
  
She shrugged.  
  
"He handed a package to Amanda, your mentoring agent. That's how she became involved in the Agency in the first place. Of course, he wasn't shot, but he did get roughed up a bit. That's Scarecrow. We all know he's the one with no brain," Austin said glumly as he sipped his tea.  
  
"So what made you decide to hire me all of the sudden? The last thing I remember you saying to me before you put me on the plane to London was 'Forget about secret agents and spies, Elizabeth. It's not a world for little girls, and it won't afford you anything but heartbreak.' Even when I mentioned it a few months ago at dinner, you got in quite a huff," she smiled.  
  
"Elizabeth, I can't think of anyone more suited for this job than you. You're second in your class at Georgetown. You speak Russian and Farsi fluently. You have incredible people skills. You're strong, you're fast, and you think on your feet. And you're beautiful," he continued. "Your father would have my head for giving you a job if he were still here. But you know it as well as I, darling. You were born to be a spy. I wanted to snatch you up before MI6 so I can keep an eye on you. The world has been watching you, Elizabeth. And you're ours now," he smiled.  
  
Beth shook her head at him. Uncle Austin, always wanting to 'keep an eye' on her.   
  
"You did a good thing today. You've still got plenty of things to learn, but that's why we call you an agent candidate," Austin smiled slightly.  
  
"Do we know what happened to the man I was supposed to meet this morning?" Beth asked.  
  
"No, we haven't heard anything yet," he lied. "I'll see to it myself we get to the bottom of this, darling. I don't want you to worry your pretty little head about it. Take the rest of the day off, stay home from class, and relax. If you need anything, call the office. I'll try to get over and check on you later tonight."  
  
He took the empty mug from her hand and stood up.  
  
"Elizabeth," he said softly.  
  
"Yes, sir?" she answered.  
  
"I'm glad you're all right, darling," he said and brushed some stray hair out of her eyes. He patted her head and left the room as quietly as he had entered it.  
  
  
Beth leaned up against the headboard of her bed and listened to the front door click shut. She got out of bed and watched from the balcony as her uncle stepped into the limousine waiting in the parking lot. She still didn't quite understand how limousines appeared out of thin air for him, but she was fairly certain she never would.  
  
The shoulder was starting to bother her slightly as the pain medication wore off. The bullet had just grazed her, but when she fell after being hit she dislocated the same shoulder. The sling was really unnecessary and she removed it to stretch the arm.  
  
She had to find the boy from her history class. Glancing at the clock, she realized she had missed class and he was probably really freaking out. Sighing, she stepped into the shower to quickly bathe. She dressed in simple jeans that hung loosely on her small form, and a t-shirt to cover up the injured shoulder. Beth took three aspirin, slipped into her sandals, grabbed her keys, and made her way over to campus.  
  
  
  
After Jamie had managed to get his nerves and stomach under control, he took a shower and fixed some soup for lunch. He stood in the kitchen eating and listened to the television in his roommate's bedroom. Nothing about a shooting at the train station, which was a good sign. He rinsed out his bowl, started the dishwasher, and went back into his room.   
  
He didn't know what to do. He had no way to find her. If she was a spy, Elizabeth Anderson probably wasn't even her real name! If she was a spy, his whole world was about to come crashing in on him.   
  
When he was fourteen, things had been easier to deal with. Lee had saved his life; his family was finally coming back together and making sense to him. His mother was a spy, but she was a damn good spy, and what she was doing made her incredibly happy. His mother's husband, his stepfather, was one of the world's best agents. His codename, Scarecrow, was known all over the world. What his parents were doing for a living was making the world a better place.  
  
Jamie reached under his bed and pulled out the trunk. He hadn't been through it in a few months. Things had been busy since school started two weeks ago, and he'd been interning in Moscow all summer. He pulled out all the volumes of journals he had finished. He knew exactly what book he was looking for, what page and what sentence.  
  
'When I grow up, I think I'd like to be a spy like Lee.'  
  
He was sixteen when he wrote it. Since then, lots of things had changed. Lee took an administrative job after Matthew was born, and the Agency's strongest team was spending a lot more time in the building than running around DC chasing villains. They picked their cases, and there had still been several times since then that Lee had almost been killed. One incident in particular had left Lee in the hospital in Germany over Christmas. That was during Jamie's senior year of high school.   
  
Jamie flipped to the page he wrote on the night they finally heard about Lee on Christmas Eve.   
  
'I've changed my mind. There's no way I could be a spy and leave a family behind. If Lee had died over there I never would have forgiven him.'  
  
When Amanda and Lee came home, Lee put in a request for no more overseas assignments, and she went off active duty for almost a year. Since both the younger children were in school now, they'd both been in the field a little more often the past few months, but nothing serious. They valued things too much to be taking risks.  
  
Jamie remembered the look on Beth's face changing during their walk to the train. He could tell she was battling between being professional and being scared. He stopped himself. He wasn't even sure she was being 'professional' in the first place. She may have been doing someone a favor. He shook his head. The odds of that were a million to one. And either way, she was somehow involved in a risky business.   
  
If she was still alive. The wave of fear washed over him again. If she were dead he'd never forgive himself. Jamie somehow felt like he would know if she were dead. He'd be able to feel it. He didn't know how or why, it was just something he felt. He was fairly sure she was alive, and probably looking for him. He was so sick with worry he hadn't gone to history, which was where she would find him. He decided to stop thinking for a while and go to the coffeehouse on campus to read. He grabbed his bookbag and headed out the door to catch the bus.  
  
  
  
Beth scanned the coffeehouse. It was Tuesday night, and more crowded than she would have liked it to be. She looked over to an empty corner of the room, where she saw a single figure reading a newspaper. It was almost completely dark, but she could tell it was the boy from her history class. Obviously, she couldn't just approach him and ask him for her envelope back. He was going to want some sort of explanation. She sighed. Beth never was a very good liar, but she needed the practice.  
  
  
Jamie smiled at the waitress as she set his tea down on the table in front of him. When he put down the newspaper to add lemon to his tea, he noticed the note. The waitress must have set it down without him noticing. It read 'To the man that saved my life this morning' on the front of the note. Jamie's breath caught in his throat, and he picked up the paper with shaking hands.  
  
'Meet me in front of the Lincoln Memorial in 20 minutes' was all it said. He jumped out of his seat, not even pausing to pick up his books, and ran out of the building. The metro ride lasted an eternity, and he ran from the station all the way over to the Memorial. It was about ten o clock by now, and the area was abandoned and silent. He saw no one, and plopped down on the steps to wait for her.  
  
  
Beth watched him run all the way to the Memorial steps. She couldn't help but smile. He had to hold up the shorts that were obviously to big for his thin frame as he ran. He nervously toyed with the collar of his polo shirt as he looked around for her. She took a deep breath. This wasn't going to be easy.  
  
  
Jamie didn't see her come, and didn't notice her until she sat down next to him on the steps.  
  
"Hi," she said, with the quiet accent.  
  
"Hi," he managed.  
  
"How are you doing?"  
  
"Better now. I heard the gunshot this morning and I was pretty nervous," he sighed, too nervous to look at her.  
  
"Well, I'm fine. I want to thank you for rescuing me this morning."  
  
"I didn't rescue you. In fact, when I heard the gunshot, I got the hell out of there."  
  
She smiled.  
  
"Well, I don't blame you for that," she said. "Did you bring the envelope I gave you?"  
  
"Yeah," Jamie said, reaching into his pocket. "Here it is." His hand trembled as he handed it to her.  
  
"Thank you," she said as she took the envelope out of his hand. "I don't even know your name."  
  
"I'm Jamie. Jamie King," he said, looking up and offering her his hand. Beth smiled in recognition.  
  
"It's nice to meet you, Jamie. I'm Elizabeth Anderson," she smiled, taking his hand. "Call me Beth."  
  
"Well, Beth. What was all that about this morning? Or would you have to kill me if you told me?"  
  
"Well, until that stunt I pulled this morning I was an agent in training for the FBI. I sort of lost my job offer this afternoon."  
  
"Oh, the FBI?" Jamie sighed in relief. "Well, I'm sorry about that."  
  
"Don't be. I don't know what I was thinking, starting the academy while I'm finishing up my degree," she smiled.  
  
"What's your degree in?"  
  
"International Political Science," she smiled. "I'm minoring in Russian."  
  
"That's awesome. I'm minoring in Russian too, actually."  
  
"Oh, I know. I hear the name Jamie King on a daily basis in the Foreign Language building. I didn't think you were a real person, in all honesty."  
  
"Well, I am."  
  
"I can see that."  
  
There was a silence.  
  
"Beth, would you like to take a walk with me?" he finally asked.  
  
"No, I wouldn't."   
  
There was another silence, until she spoke again.  
  
"I prefer to drive. I have a convertible, how about a drive instead? It's a beautiful night."  
  
"Sounds great," he grinned, and offered his hand to help her up. They walked to the BMW in silence, and drove off into the DC night.  



	3. Chapter 3

Two months later ...  
  
  
Beth quickly clipped her wet hair behind her head as she ran out of the house. She was the perfect picture of youth, beauty, and energy. And this picture perfect girl was incredibly nervous. Lee and Amanda had invited her over for dinner tonight, and she had big news for them.  
  
Jamie refused to let her walk out of his life. The night they'd met at the Lincoln Memorial, Beth had driven him around until early the next morning. They'd talked about school, about Jamie's travels, and Beth's childhood. She never let herself tell anyone about the life she knew as a child, about all the loneliness and abandonment. Yet she couldn't stop herself with Jamie. She found herself wanting to tell him everything. And now, that they'd been growing closer the past few weeks, it was getting harder and harder not to.  
  
Jamie was vague about his family. Whenever they came up in discussion, Jamie would smile and shake his head.  
  
"My mother is beautiful. She's the most incredible person I know. My father lives in Estoccia with his wife and daughter, and he works for the EAO. I really mostly credit my stepfather with raising me properly, not Dad. Dad's a good guy; he just couldn't be everywhere at once. He wanted to work and help people, and he left me and Phil behind and really didn't look back. He was back in DC for a couple years, and married Carrie right before he went back to Africa. Mom married my stepdad on Christmas Eve in 1989, and I really haven't looked back since. I have an incredible family. I couldn't be luckier," Jamie had said that night. Beth tried to bring up his family on a couple other occasions, but Jamie had cleverly danced around the subject. He'd mentioned his younger brother and sister, Matty and Jenny, a few times, but generally avoided the family topic. "You have to meet them to understand."  
  
Tonight she wanted to tell Lee. She wasn't looking forward to it. She knew as well as the rest of the bullpen that she was Lee's new prodigy. Beth seemed to be the 'lone wolf' that Lee had once been. Some of the steno pool had gone so far as to start referring to her as 'Toto' behind her back, because she seemed to be at Scarecrow's side so often.   
  
Beth was also in a complicated situation with Jamie. She'd lied to him when they first met, telling him she'd been ejected from the FBI academy. He had only within the past few days started to ask questions about why she kept breaking dates, and missing classes. For someone she was so hooked on, she felt like she didn't really know him, and she knew for a fact he didn't know the 'real' Beth. They'd never been to each other's apartments, and though Jamie had asked Beth twice, she hadn't met his parents.  
  
But she didn't have time to worry about Jamie right now. She had to concentrate on not freaking Lee and Amanda out with the news. They expected so much out of her, and Beth wanted to please them. But she also wanted some semblance of normality in her life. She let out on final sigh of exasperation as she knocked on the front door of the gorgeous Rockville home.  
  
  
  
Lee answered the door in jeans and a slightly wrinkled polo shirt. Beth smiled at this irregularity. She wasn't used to seeing her boss in anything less than perfectly pressed suits and sport coats.  
  
"Hi, Beth. Come on in," he smiled, opening the door for her. "Amanda is in the kitchen, straight down the hall. I'm on the phone, I'll be in shortly," he pointed down the corridor and then plopped down onto the stairs.  
  
Beth was impressed at the interior of the house. It was well done, but not too stuffy. Beautiful photographs of the two younger children lined the hallway, and she stopped to look at the picture of their oldest son. It was a graduation portrait from the Naval Academy.  
  
'Another navy boy,' Beth thought.  
  
"Hi, sweetheart," Amanda called from the kitchen. "Come on in and sit down, it's almost ready. I hope you like Beef Wellington!"  
  
"It smells wonderful, Amanda," Beth smiled, taking a seat at the bar.  
  
"Lee and I are just loving this. Jamie took our two youngest ones for the night, so we decided to go all out. Matthew refuses to eat red meat. We don't know why, he just hates it! He'll sit here and eat chicken all day, but he won't touch a hamburger. Never in my life have I seen such a picky eater!"  
  
Amanda handed Beth a glass of wine, which she accepted.  
  
"I didn't know you had a son named Jamie. I've heard about Philip and Matthew, but I don't think you've mentioned Jamie," Beth said, her curiosity peaked.  
  
"That can't be! Don't tell the younger two, but Jamie will always be my baby. Philip is Lee's tough man, and Jenny is daddy's girl. Matthew is the apple of his grandmother's eye. But Jamie. Jamie is a mama's boy, no matter how much he'll deny it," Amanda laughed. "Jamie is my artist. He's the sensitive one."  
  
Beth shook her head. There was no way that her Jamie was Amanda Stetson's son.  
  
"How old did you say he was, Amanda?"  
  
"Jamie is twenty now. He's a junior at Georgetown. You actually might know him, he's a Russian minor."  
  
Beth dropped the wineglass onto the carpet.  
  
"Oh, Amanda! I'm sorry!" she said, scurrying to get a paper towel.  
  
"Don't worry, dear. This carpet has seen worse, believe me," she smiled. "Are you all right, Beth? You just got awfully pale!"  
  
"I'm fine," she managed. There was a silence while Beth cleaned up the mess and Amanda went back into the kitchen.  
  
"Amanda?"  
  
"Mm hmm," she said absently, setting the table.  
  
"How long have you and Lee been married?"  
  
"Well, if you count the elopement, almost nine years. You see, Lee and I married secretly in 1987 because we were afraid our marriage would put our family in danger. Philip and Jamie were just getting to be teenagers. We just didn't know what to do."  
  
"What happened with your first marriage, if you don't mind me asking."  
  
"It's long and complicated. Joe graduated from law school right before Jamie was born, and immediately took a job with the EAO. They sent him to Estoccia. Joe, of course, wanted us to come with him, but I insisted that we couldn't raise two little boys in North Africa. We tried living apart for a couple years, but by the time Jamie was two, we realized it wasn't going to work. The divorce was final in December of that year, and Joe quit coming to visit as often," Amanda said. "He came back to Washington for a while, long enough to meet a wonderful woman who was willing to go with him back to Africa. That was in 1989. They've been there ever since, and that Joe King does a wonderful job."  
  
Hearing the words 'Joe King' out of Amanda's mouth removed any doubt from Beth's mind. She sighed loudly. No wonder Jamie didn't like to talk about his parents! They were two of the world's most effective spies! Beth wondered if Jamie even knew that.  
  
"Amanda, how did you tell your sons about everything?"  
  
"Well, actually it's a complicated story. An old nemesis of Lee's kidnapped Jamie when he was fourteen, and we were basically forced to tell our family then. They didn't even know we were married, much less federal agents. It was an incredibly difficult situation. I've never been so scared in my life. Lee went to Moscow to get Jamie, and we were on contact zero, so I had no idea where my son and husband were or if they were even alive for almost a week. Finally, Billy came and got me in the middle of the night and put me on the first flight to Frankfurt. Lee had rescued him," Amanda continued, beginning to get choked up.  
  
"Oh, Amanda," Beth said after a silence. She really didn't know how to handle all this. "It must have been so hard."  
  
"It still is hard. The two little ones are still too young to know anything, and I can only imagine what it's going to be like when we finally tell them. I was sedated when Lee had to tell Mother and Philip that night. But Lee still gets choked up when he talks about the whole situation. We never meant to hurt our family, and they know that. It was just hard," she said.  
  
"I can imagine," Beth replied.  
  
Lee entered the kitchen and smiled at Beth.  
  
"So what are you two talking about? I heard my name," he smiled, reaching for the bottle of wine.  
  
"I was telling Beth about how you and I came to be 'you and I.'"  
  
"I see. So let me guess, Elizabeth. You've got a boyfriend and you're scared to death to tell me," Lee smiled and took a sip of wine.  
  
Beth grinned sheepishly and nodded.   
  
"How do you do that? Know what I'm going to ask before I get around to it!"  
  
"You haven't asked either of us many personal questions before. You were obviously trying to grasp the situation. Things will be different for you, Beth. I'm assuming you're seeing a civilian?"  
  
"Yes, sir," she replied.  
  
"See, Amanda and I don't have any problems with talking about work. But you won't be able to just come home and talk about what the President is up to in Lebanon this week. National security comes into play in this relationship. And I really don't have any experience in that field. How long have you been seeing this guy?"  
  
"Since right after I was recruited. I really didn't intend for this to happen. It just ... did," she sighed.  
  
"There isn't anything wrong with it, Beth. You just have to realize what you're getting yourself into," Amanda said. "Towards the end of all the secrecy, I was running out of lies and my mother was getting incredibly suspicious. It gets complicated. I'm assuming you haven't told this guy anything?"  
  
"No, I haven't," she replied.  
  
"I wish I could help you more. Maybe she should talk to Francine, Lee," Amanda said, looking at Lee, who immediately laughed out loud. "What? She dated Jonathan for the longest time and never really got into too much trouble."  
  
"I don't know about that, Amanda. Francine may be getting soft in her old age, but she certainly isn't soft enough to sit down for a fireside chat with a rookie. Maybe we should take her to see Billy," he answered.  
  
"What is Billy up to tonight, Lee? Maybe he'd come over for dinner. I've certainly got enough here," Amanda said.  
  
"Ah, forgot to mention. That was Philip on the phone, he's on his way over. He was in DC today so he's just going to stop here for supper. We can't exactly chat about this in front of him," Lee smiled.  
  
"Well, we'll just have to set something up. Billy was our section chief before Lee took over, Beth. He's just a darling teddy bear of a man," Amanda smiled, and pointed to a picture of Billy and Lee at Billy's retirement party.  
  
The doorbell rang, and Lee went to let Philip in. He entered the living room in uniform, and immediately went into flirt mode upon seeing Beth sitting at the bar.  
  
"Beth, this is our oldest son, Philip," Lee said.  
  
"The pleasure is all mine, I'm sure," Philip said, shaking Beth's hand and flashing the trademark Philip King grin.  
  
"Can it, Philip. She's taken," Amanda said, swatting his arm, and then kissing him on the cheek. "And she works with us at IFF."  
  
"Oh, dear. Here I am again, surrounded by spies. And I can't believe you let Jamie take Matty and Jenny out tonight, in your brand new car! I haven't even taken it for a test drive yet!"  
  
"Jamie doesn't have a car, Philip. He's a full time student! You just bought that truck, I don't know what you're complaining about," Amanda continued to get dinner on the table.  
  
"Philip will do his best to find something to complain about, Beth. He gets jealous of Jamie," Lee smiled, clapping him on the back. "You're almost twenty-three years old, and you're still fighting with your younger brother!"  
  
"Come on, fellas. Dinner is ready," Amanda said, sitting down at the table. Dinner was passed in pleasant conversation, and Beth spent most of the time observing this family that Jamie had referred to as 'incredible.' He was certainly right about that.  
  
"So, Beth. Tell us about yourself," Lee said nonchalantly. He'd read her file, and knew about her parents. But he was trying to break down some of her walls. He knew how easy it was to build up a persona and lose track of the real person behind the codename. She sighed and hesitated. Amanda gave her an encouraging look.  
  
"Well, I was born in Boston, and shortly thereafter we moved to Arlington. My father was CIA, as I'm sure you know. My mother taught English at Boston University until I was born, and when we moved here she worked as a courier for the CIA and stayed at home with me until I started school. I had a semi-normal childhood until I turned ten. My father got involved in a conspiratorial mess within the CIA. Some of his friends were leaking information, and they wanted him to get involved. Obviously they couldn't let him live after he refused. So, on their wedding anniversary in July, my parents went out to dinner and left me at home with the babysitter. It was the last time I ever saw them alive. They were shot sitting in the car at a traffic light. My mother's brother was my only living relative, and he was awarded custody. Obviously, he couldn't raise me properly, so he sent me to boarding school in London. I saw him every once in a while. Uncle Austin seemed to materialize out of nowhere at swim meets or debates, and he'd take me out to dinner and tell me to keep it up; that hard work will pay off. I decided when I graduated I wanted to come back here to be near him. He's my only family," Beth sighed. "He spoils me rotten, as I'm sure you know. But I was honestly surprised when he offered me this job. He's done nothing but refuse to offer me a job. He was honest with me a couple months ago, though. He said he wanted me here instead of MI6 so he can 'keep an eye' on me."  
  
Lee smiled and reached over to pat Beth's hand.  
  
"I lost my parents at an early age too, Beth. I know it's not easy, but it seems like you've got a good head on your shoulders. You've done nothing but impress us since we met you," he said.  
  
"Thanks, Lee," Beth smiled. There was an uncomfortable silence.  
  
"So, I guess Jamie hasn't told you two that he's been dating his dream girl," Philip said, getting up to pour himself more wine.  
  
"No, no. There were two messages waiting for me when I got in the morning after he met her," Lee said.  
  
"Wait a minute! I'm the only one that hasn't been informed? This is Jamie's first girlfriend, and I don't even get to hear about it from his own mouth?" Amanda said, reaching for the phone.  
  
"Oh, Amanda, leave them alone! They're probably in the movie theater; he doesn't want that cell phone ringing in the middle of the movie. He didn't even want to take it with him!" Lee smiled.  
  
"All right. But he's going to get it as soon as he walks in that door, Stetson," Amanda said, releasing her death grip on the cordless.  
  
  
Beth managed to miss Jamie by twenty minutes when she left the house. She was in quite a mess now. It wouldn't take too long before Lee or Amanda put their stories together to get the complete picture. She was supposed to be meeting Jamie at the jazz club across from her apartment building at midnight, so she had a couple hours to decide what to do. He said he had a surprise for her.  
  
  
Jamie chewed on his thumbnail as his mother dissertated on the importance of being honest for almost half an hour. He was trying desperately to keep a smile off his face. Between his mother's overprotectiveness, Lee rolling his eyes from the kitchen, and the thoughts of meeting Beth, he was fighting a losing battle.  
  
"And just what are you smiling at, James Michael?" Philip burst out laughing at the use of the infamous 'middle name.'  
  
"Mom! Are you really that upset? You haven't called me James Michael since I got that speeding ticket my senior year," Jamie managed, trying not to laugh.   
  
"Oh, Jamie. I was just jealous I hadn't heard anything," Amanda conceded, and plopped down next to him on the couch. Lee was close behind her, and Philip sat across from the three of them on the fireplace.  
  
"I don't know why I haven't told you, Mom. I know you've been worried about me lately; me and all my sentimentality. I don't have any experience in this sort of thing. I'm scared I'm falling too fast or something," Jamie said, and ran a hand through his hair.  
  
"Well, tell me about her, Jamie! I'll be the judge of who is falling too fast!" Amanda bubbled, wrapping her arm around his shoulders.  
  
" She's getting ready to graduate in December, and she's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen," Jamie smiled. "I've invited her to meet you twice, but I think she's nervous about it. I'm getting ready to go meet her now, actually, if Philip wouldn't mind taking me back into the city," he continued.  
  
"Yeah, come on. I'd like to get back to my place by morning," Philip said sarcastically as Jamie stood up.  
  
"Well, ask her again, Jamie. I'd love to meet her, and I know Lee would too," Amanda said, standing to kiss Jamie's forehead.  
  
"I'll see what I can do, Mom. I'll call tomorrow," he said.   
  
"And email me, Sport," Lee said.  
  
"Oh, gross, Lee. You know I hate 'Sport!'" Lee merely laughed and walked the two men to the front door.  
  
"You two stay out of trouble," he called after them as they pulled out of the driveway.  
  
  
  
Beth sat at the bar in the club, nursing a beer. Jamie was late; it was almost 12:30. The drone of the announcer was putting her to sleep. She was getting ready to get up when she noticed him sit down at the piano on stage.  
  
He winked at her as he began to play. It was a simple little ballad, but Beth was impressed. As he finished, their eyes locked, and he mouthed the words 'I wrote that for you.' She felt her cheeks get red, and walked over to meet him as he came off the stage. The club was emptying out.  
  
"I can't believe you're drinking beer," he smiled, kissing her gently on the cheek.  
  
"I can't believe you wrote that for me," she whispered.  
  
"Lee has taught me everything I know about alcohol. Says he's trying to prepare me for turning twenty-one," Jamie laughed. "And I've learned the advantages of wine over beer."  
  
"Lee?"  
  
"Oh, my stepdad. I've never mentioned his name before, have I?"  
  
"No, you haven't." She smiled across the table at him. "Was that song my surprise?"  
  
  
"Oh, your surprise! No, that was not your surprise. This is," he said, and pulled a small box out of his pocket. Beth eyed it suspiciously.  
  
"What is this for?"  
  
"I met you two months ago today," Jamie grinned. "I bought this when I was in Moscow over the summer. I was going to give it to Jenny when she got a little bigger, but I think you'd appreciate it more than her," he said.  
  
Beth opened the small box. Inside was a silver ring, with a small, round ruby in the middle.   
  
"Jamie, I can't accept this. You bought this for your sister," she tried to refuse.  
  
"Listen, Beth. I know I don't know everything I want to know about you. And I know you don't really know a lot about me. I can't say I have much experience at this. I've never fallen in love before," he said, taking her hand.  
  
"You're falling in love?"  
  
"I think so. No one makes me smile like you do. No one makes me nervous like you do. And no one makes me weak in the knees like you do."  
  
"Jamie ..."  
"I know, I know. It's too fast. I'm going too fast. I can't help it."  
  
Beth sighed and looked down at the ring again. She knew she was falling in love with Jamie, but she'd lied to him so much. If he knew she'd lied to him, he'd never forgive her.  
  
"I want you to have the ring, Beth. It doesn't have to mean anything right now, other than I think you're beautiful and charming and wonderful," he stopped as she slipped the ring onto the middle finger of her right hand. He looked up and smiled at her.  
  
That smile was killing her. She had no idea how to tell him. She didn't even know what she could tell him. Not to mention his stepdad was her boss and his mother was her mentoring agent.  
  
"Jamie, I really think I need to get some rest. I think you should, too. I know you don't sleep enough. Or eat enough for that matter," she said, playfully squeezing his side.  
  
"Well, let me walk you out then," he said, standing up and offering her his hand.  
  
The pair walked out and stood under a street light.  
  
"I'll see you in class tomorrow, Beth," he said, and leaned down to kiss her. Beth was glad he had his arm firmly in place at her back, because she wouldn't have been able to remain standing.  
  
"Good night, Jamie," she said, and set out across the street.   
  
He stood and watched her, and was alarmed when a car sped around the corner.  
  
"Look out, Beth!" he called.  
  
The car skidded to a halt right in front of her apartment building, and Jamie watched as a familiar looking man jumped out of the car and grabbed Elizabeth. This time Jamie couldn't run away and act like nothing had happened. He ran across the street.  
  
"Leave her alone! Stop right there!" he called, as the man hustled Beth into the backseat of the car. Jamie had to dive out of the way as the car sped off. He looked up in time to get the license plate number, and then sat up and looked at the sidewalk. Beth had dropped her purse and the contents were all over the sidewalk.  
  
He picked up her car keys, her wallet, and then stopped as he looked down at an identification tag. He felt nauseous as he recognized the letters on the tag. IFF. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. But he did know where he was headed right now. Jamie ran behind the apartment building, started Beth's car, and began the drive to Rockville.  



	4. Chapter 4

Lee glanced at the clock at the corner of the computer screen. It was nearly two in the morning, but he'd finally finished up the last of the paperwork. He stretched his long arms upwards as he rolled the chair away from the large desk in the middle of the study. As he stood, he heard the gravel crunch under car tires. Looking out the window, he noticed Beth's BMW. Lee's stomach dropped as he watched Jamie get out of the car and sit down on the front porch.  
  
Jamie's stomach was in no better shape. His mind was a jumbled mess of confusion, pain and worry. The words wouldn't come. He didn't know what to say to Lee. He wanted to scream, blame him for this. But Lee didn't know he was dating Beth, and Beth didn't know Lee was his stepfather. Before his thoughts could torment him further, the front door opened.  
  
"Jamie, it's awfully late," Lee sighed. "And it's cold out here. Come on in the house."  
  
The young man said nothing but rose to his full height, just an inch shorter than his stepfather, and followed Lee into the house. Before Lee could speak again, Jamie handed him the ID tag.  
  
"Uh, Jamie ... where did you get this?"  
"It was in my girlfriend's purse. My girlfriend dropped her purse as a large man forced her into the back of a car and drove away," he said, barely above a whisper.  
  
Lee immediately made a move for the phone. Jamie reached into his pocket and handed Lee the license plate number. Lee smiled and nodded, then said a few words into the phone before hanging up.  
  
"I need you to come into the agency with me, Jamie," Lee said quietly, laying a hand on his stepson's shoulder. "You're going to have to look at mug shots and see if you recognize the guy."  
  
"I've seen him before. He's the one that was chasing her the morning I met her at the train station," Jamie replied.  
  
"You're the one she met at the train station?"  
  
Jamie nodded. Lee smiled and clapped him on the back.  
  
"We'll get her back," he said.  
  
"I want to help," Jamie said coldly. Lee felt his stomach drop again as Jamie finally voiced what Lee had been suspecting for months. "I want to help you."  
  
"Absolutely not," Amanda's voice came from the dark corridor.  
  
"Amanda," Lee sighed, opening his arms for her.  
  
"Mom," Jamie started. "Lee. What if these guys are Russian? My Russian is ten times better than Lee's ... no offense."  
  
"None taken," Lee replied. "There's more to this than speaking another language, Jamie. You know that." Lee rolled up his t-shirt to show Jamie a bullet wound scar. "There's a lot more."  
  
Jamie hung his head and shrugged. Amanda and Lee quickly made their way upstairs to change, and Jamie gave in to exhaustion and sank into an armchair. Why would she lie to him? Why would she lead him on all this time? Something didn't make sense, and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.  
  
  
  
  
"How could this happen to him again, Lee?" Amanda sobbed, sitting on the edge of their bed. Her husband wrapped his arms around her. "The Agency once again turns her cold shoulder to Jamie."  
  
"Amanda, there's nothing you could have done. He's a grown man, and he has to make his own decisions," he said into her hair. He felt his wife nod into his chest. "Amanda, I've been suspecting Jamie has been anxious about working for the Agency."  
  
"I guess I have too, I just didn't want to admit it to myself," she sighed. "And the thing is, I think he wants to do it as much as he feels it's his duty."  
  
"He's so smart, Amanda. And he's worked so hard-"  
  
"In a Foreign Services major, Lee," she cut him off. "We've been kidding ourselves to think he'd end up in politics. Just look at his parents! He knows more about the Middle East than you and I put together. He's been to every major city we work in, and his expertise on Russia-"  
  
"Is unhealthy," he cut her off.  
  
"It was unhealthy when he was fourteen, Lee. He's twenty years old, he's brilliant, and he's our son."  
  
"That's right. He's our son. And he deserves a normal life," Lee said, trying to keep the emotion out of his voice. "FBI would have been fine. CIA would have been worrisome, but better than this. Agency work could get him killed for being a mere courier, Amanda. And we both know if he was to go through training-"  
  
"He'd be just like his parents," she finished. They both heaved a sigh and finished dressing in silence. The matter would stay unresolved for now.  
  
  
  
Jamie sat at Lee's desk at the Agency, staring at picture after picture. Amanda was asleep on the couch across the room, and Lee had stepped out for coffee. No one in the mug book looked familiar, not even slightly. Jamie glanced up and noticed Lee talking to an odd little man out in the 'bullpen,' as his parents referred to it. Jamie could barely keep his eyes open and felt his head starting to sag.  
  
  
Lee hung up the phone and rubbed his throbbing temples. It was a quarter to six, and he'd just been on the phone with Dr. Smyth, who was currently in Paris. It was bad news in every corner. He found out from TP what information Beth had carried on her adventure at the train station; coded information about war crimes in Serbia.  
  
He inwardly cursed himself for sending her. It was such a rare occasion when things went wrong on a drop. Lee had just assumed everything would be fine. But obviously, things were not fine right now. His son was sitting at his desk trying to pick out the man who had taken his girlfriend right out from under his nose.  
  
Lee crossed the room and peered into the window. Jamie and Amanda had obviously had a conversation, because Jamie was now across the room on the couch, his mother asleep on his shoulder. Jamie was asleep too, or at least he appeared to be. Lee quietly opened the door and smiled as Jamie's eyes opened and peered up at him.  
  
"It's not good news, son," Lee said quietly.   
"Apparently Beth was carrying coded information that is valued in a very tumultuous part of the world right now."  
  
"And I suppose you're not allowed to tell me what part of the world that is, are you?"  
  
"I can't, Jamie," Lee sighed, collapsing into the chair behind his desk. The phone rang.  
  
"Stetson," he answered. Lee's eyebrows furrowed in concentration and he scribbled something down on a stray envelope. "Amanda," he said as he hung up the phone. She nodded, not wanting to open her eyes.  
  
"I need you to come with me, I just got a call from one of my contacts," he continued. Amanda stretched and sat up.  
  
"Jamie, why don't you go back up to the house and check on your grandmother," she said. "Matthew and Jenny will be up in about half an hour, and she could probably use some help getting them ready for school."  
  
"Okay," Jamie said quietly. The three of them walked out to the parking lot together, Jamie getting into Beth's car, and his parents into theirs.   
  
"We'll call you when we get back to the Agency, sweetheart," Amanda said as she ducked into the car.   
  
Jamie said nothing and got into the car. He pulled out, turned around in a parking lot across the street, waited until three cars were between his parents and Beth's car, and then followed them into the city. They drove for about twenty minutes, Jamie all the while staying behind his parents.  
  
He didn't know where he was exactly, but he could see the Capitol above the roofs of the dingy buildings he was driving beneath. He pulled into an alley a block behind where Lee had parked, and watched as his stepfather drew his gun and stalked around the side of a building. Jamie could see his mother, waiting in the car anxiously, and he smirked at the thought that she probably had a gun drawn too.  
  
Jamie was startled to see a black van pull up just in front of where he was parked. The man who had taken Beth got out of the passenger side and was slowly making his way to where Lee had parked. Jamie panicked. He reached around in the space behind the seats of the BMW and wrapped his hands around a tire iron. Instinctively, he exited the vehicle silently and followed the man.  
  
  
Lee's contact hadn't shown, and it was ten minutes past meeting time. He got an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach and knew someone in his family had been compromised. Trying not to panic, he made his way back to the street. Lee noticed the tall man first; creeping up slowly behind the car Amanda was sitting in. He raised his gun to fire when he noticed Jamie creeping in the same manner, four or five feet behind the assailant. Keeping his finger on the trigger, he watched his stepson carefully.  
  
The man rose to full height and drew a knife before yanking the passenger side door open. It took Jamie two strides to get behind him and strike him once with the tire iron. The man crumpled into a heap in front of him. Lee was instantly at his side, handcuffing the man before looking up at Jamie.  
  
"Are you out of your mind?" he shouted.  
  
"I'm not out of my mind. I was worried about you two, so I followed you. Good thing I did," he said. Just then shots rang out from the van, and Lee tackled Jamie, pulling him out of the line of fire. Lee sat up and fired a couple shots as the van squealed out of the alley and out of range.  
  
"We appreciate your concern, Jamie, but this is dangerous. If you got hurt I wouldn't be able to live with myself," Lee said, taking the tire iron out of Jamie's trembling hands.   
  
"That's the guy that took Beth," he said, struggling to keep his emotions in check. "What are we going to do now? Did I kill him?"  
  
"No, sweetheart, you just knocked some sense into him," Amanda said, holding out her hands to her son. He took them and knelt next to his mother outside the car.  
  
"Well, let me call for some backup to take this guy in. Did you get those plates, Amanda?"  
  
"Yes," she said, smoothing Jamie's hair. "Are you all right?"  
  
"I'm fine, mom. Really," he said, trying to sound convincing. He hadn't been this scared in six years.  
  
  
  
  
Amanda and Lee forced Jamie to go home after they returned to the Agency.  
  
"Do not tell your grandmother you've been here, Jamie," Amanda said. "She'll have both our hides. Just get showered and try to relax. You can go pick Matthew up from school and take him to lunch if you want. Take the cell phone with you; we'll call if anything comes up."  
  
Jamie was too tired to argue at this point, so he followed Lee out of the building and into the parking lot.  
  
"Jamie, I'm proud of you," Lee said, making a point of looking his son in the eyes. "You've done so many brave things in the past twenty-four hours. Your mother is proud of you, too. We're just scared for you. Just try to get a little rest and we'll be in touch soon."  
  
His son nodded and looked up at him, with respect shining in his eyes.  
  
"Thank you, Lee," he said, and reached for the door handle. Lee placed his hand on his shoulder and then pulled him in for a hug.  
  
"I love you, son," he said.  
  
"I love you too, Lee," Jamie answered, and stepped into the convertible.  
  
  
  
Beth woke up in an impeccably furnished room. From her conclusions, it looked like a study. She was alone in the room, and her shoulder was stiff from sleeping wrong again. As she stood up, she realized what had happened. The man from the train station had grabbed her as she was trying to enter her apartment building and forced her into the back of a car. And Jamie was there.   
  
Jamie. At least he knew what was happening now. Beth was almost positive he would go to Lee for help. And Amanda and Lee wouldn't let her die, not like this. Beth looked down at the ring on her finger. Jamie told her he was falling in love with her in that stupid jazz club. Why was he falling in love with her? She didn't deserve him, not for a second.  
  
Before Beth could think anymore, the door opened and a small, graying woman entered. Beth recognized her as the woman that had been following her at the train station.   
  
"Good morning, Elizabeth. I trust you slept well," the woman said as she sat down in an overstuffed chair. Beth did not reply.  
  
"You will need to speak to me if you want to return to your job and your uncle," the woman said. Beth cringed. She realized when she took the job that she was an easy target to get to her uncle, she just didn't think she'd be dealing with it so soon.  
  
"I would have slept better in my own bed, thank you." Beth replied.  
  
"Very true. How is your shoulder?"  
  
"It's sore, but I'll live," the young agent sighed.  
  
"I assume you are wondering who I am. Have a seat and I will explain everything to you," the older woman said as she rose from her seat. As she returned from the other room, a house servant followed with a breakfast tray and set it in between the two women.  
  
"My name is Emilija Karic. I have been sent here by my superiors to cut a deal with the American government. My brother, Simeon, is a high-ranking official in the Serbian government. After the recent upheaval in my country, my brother was accused of war crimes and we believe he is being held here in America," the woman said, buttering a piece of toast. "My brother is an important part of the government in my country. Things have been worse since he has been in custody."  
  
"What does that have to do with me?" Beth asked.  
  
"We're going to make a trade. You for my brother," Emilija said. "As long as your uncle cooperates, no one will get hurt."  
  
"My uncle is in Paris," Beth spat, unable to maintain a polite façade.  
  
"We're aware of that fact, Beth. Your uncle will be notified in the airport of our conditions, and I'm sure he won't let his only niece die in the place of a Serbian war criminal," the older woman said softly.  
  
Beth wasn't so sure. As much as she liked to think Austin Smyth was her guardian angel, he was a public servant and a patriot. Patriots did not negotiate with terrorists or anyone else, for that matter. No, she couldn't count on Uncle Austin for anything right now. His hands were tied. She attempted to eat a little breakfast in silence, hoping Jamie had the sense to talk to his parents.  
  
  
  
Jamie smiled as Matty ran out of the school building as kindergarten was released. As much as Jamie hated to admit it, Matthew was turning into Philip, the sequel. He was the star of his little league tee-ball team, and even kindergarten wasn't appealing to him. He was tall for his age, taking after his father already. The sandy brown hair and big hazel eyes matched his father, too. The only bit of him that was Amanda was his gift of gab. Philip had dubbed him the 'little old man' when he was three, because he spoke in complete sentences and a perfect manner, just like a little old man.  
  
"Jamie! Did you finally buy a car?" Matty squealed as he saw his brother standing next to the sports car.  
  
"No, I'm borrowing it. Mom said I could come pick you up for lunch, so I had to get here somehow, huh?"  
  
"You borrowed the car just for me?" Matty smiled.  
  
"Of course! You are my favorite brother, after all," Jamie said as he tossed Matty over his shoulder. Matthew laughed hysterically. "What do you want for lunch, bud?"  
  
"Ice cream!"  
  
"You got it! Let's go!" Jamie said, setting Matthew on the hood of the car as he opened the door for him. The little Stetson jumped off and climbed into the car. Jamie flipped on the radio and made sure Matty was buckled before squealing out of the parking lot, much to his little brother's delight. The love song playing was the last thing he wanted to hear.  
  
He pushed in a jazz disc and avoided the radio. Matty eyed him curiously, but decided not to say anything. Instead, he pulled a baseball out of his bookbag and tossed it gently up in the air. Jamie shook his head. Definitely a Stetson, he thought, and drove off down the road.  
  
When they arrived at the ice cream place downtown, Jamie was startled to see the stange little man from the bullpen, sitting under an umbrella stuffing his face. A laptop and scattered papers littered his table. The little man recognized him and nodded his head knowingly.  
  
"Ah, James. Is this the littlest Stetson you have with you?" TP asked.  
  
"Yes, sir. This is Matty. Say hello Matty, this is-"  
"T. Percival Aquinas, my boy. Your dad has told me an awful lot about you, Matthew. It's nice to finally meet you," TP said, offering his hand to the little boy. "As it is to meet you, Jamie. I would recommend you get your cones to go, I'm expecting a visit from a Scarecrow shortly."  
  
"Yes, sir," Jamie said politely.   
  
"Jamie, don't worry. Lee won't keep you in the dark on this," TP said. "Matty!" he called to the little boy, who was already eyeing the flavors of the week. "The tutti frutti is delicious!"  
  
"It's his favorite, Mr. Aquinas," Jamie said, and turned to join his brother.  
  
  
  
When they got back to Rockville, Dotty sent Matthew upstairs to wash his hands and face.  
  
"What did you feed him for lunch, Jamie? Ice cream?" Dotty asked.  
  
Jamie shrugged and kissed his grandmother on the cheek as he passed her on the way to Lee's study. The man that owned the house before the Stetsons bought it was an antiquarian, and he had divided his study into two floors. Lee didn't have any need for the second floor, so it became Jamie's 'nest' when they moved in his senior year of high school.  
  
The reason Jamie had picked this room wasn't the reason he'd given his mother. He told his mom that he wanted privacy, and he wasn't going to get it with a room next to his grandmother. In actuality, Jamie knew Lee worked very late hours in the study, and he liked to go sit with Lee and talk or read while his stepfather worked his way through mountains of paperwork. He'd spent many late nights talking with Lee over the years, and he valued the times greatly.   
  
After his shower, Jamie opted to wear his glasses instead of his contacts, pulled on a pair of jeans and buttoned up an oxford shirt, and padded back down the stairs in bare feet. He found Matthew watching cartoons in the den, and snuck past him to the living room where the piano sat, gathering dust since the last time Jamie had been home to play it. Just as he began to play, Jenny came in the front door.  
  
"Jamie!" Jenny smiled, and rushed over to hug her older brother. "What are you doing home? You've been here an awful lot lately," she said, sitting next to him on the piano bench.  
  
"Well, I have a friend's car so I just thought I'd come home and visit. How was school?"  
  
"It was fine," she smiled, and got up. "I'll let you play."  
  
Jamie smiled as Jenny walked out of the room. Although she'd inherited Amanda's dark hair and eyes, she'd also inherited Lee's quiet and serious demeanor. Jenny had friends at school but she was a serious student and stuck close to her family, especially Daddy. Jamie played a few things from memory, mostly to let his frustration out. He was reaching for a book under the bench when he realized his grandmother was standing behind him.  
  
"Hi, Grandma," Jamie said, turning to face her on the bench.   
  
"What's bothering you, sweetheart? I know school has been rough, but this isn't like you! Are you homesick or is there something else going on? I know for a fact you have a class right now," Dotty said, rubbing Jamie's back as she sat down. "And I know you don't miss classes."  
  
"I just have a friend that's in a lot of trouble right now, and I don't really know how I can help her, Grandma," he sighed. Dotty opened her mouth to say something when the phone rang. "I'll get it," he said, and hopped off the bench. As he rounded the corner to the den, he heard Matthew giggling into the phone.  
  
"Jamie let me have ice cream for lunch!" he said. Jamie glanced at the caller ID as Matty proceeded to snitch on him. It was Lee at work. "Okay, I'll see you later, Daddy!" Matty handed the phone to Jamie and hurried to get out of arm's reach.  
  
"Traitor!" Jamie muttered at Matty, who grinned at him triumphantly. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey, Jamie. We just got some news, and Dr. Smyth wants you to be here when he arrives from Paris. His flight comes in in about an hour, so I guess you better come on down," Lee said, exhaustion evident in his voice.  
  
"What news?"  
  
"Dr. Smyth was contacted in the Paris airport. It seems that Beth is being held and they want to exchange her for someone else," Lee said. "I can't really tell you much more than that, Jamie."  
  
"Don't remind me," he retorted. Jamie's mind was going in a million different directions.  
  
"Come on in, Jamie. Everything is going to be all right," Lee said.  
  
"Yeah," he answered, and hung up the phone. Jamie wasn't so sure.  
  
  
TBC  



	5. Chapter 5

Jamie smiled at the brooding Mrs. Marsden as he entered the Georgetown foyer of the IFF building. She handed him a visitor's pass and waved him towards the elevator without speaking to him. As Jamie turned around to pull the clothes together in the closet, he noticed her smile and shake her head as she returned to the paperwork on her desk.  
  
The bullpen was bustling, somewhat more than usual, when Jamie entered through the double doors. He scanned the room for his parents and didn't see them. The blinds to Lee's office were closed. Jamie raised his thin hand and knocked twice on the door. Getting no answer, he reached for the doorknob. He cracked the door open to see Lee's desk chair facing the wall in the office. Jamie decided it was all right to wait in the office, so he opened the door completely and entered the room.   
  
Just as he sat down in the chair, he noticed a puff of smoke escape from behind the chair. He opened his mouth to speak and was beaten to the punch.  
  
"And I assume you're the King boy," a New England accent came from behind the chair.  
  
"Yes, sir," Jamie said calmly. The man in the chair turned to face him, and took another puff off his ridiculous-looking cigarette holder.  
  
"And you're responsible for bringing Ivan the Terrible into custody this morning?"  
  
"Ivan the Terrible?"  
  
"The man you so eloquently struck with my niece's tire iron. Ivan the Terrible," Dr. Smyth said, still puffing away.  
  
"This Ivan is the man who grabbed Beth last night," Jamie said, standing up to pace the room.  
  
"I've been briefed, King. And stand still when I'm speaking," Smyth said impatiently.  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"What you did this morning was incredibly stupid, King. Incredibly stupid," Smyth stopped as Jamie opened his mouth to protest. "I don't tolerate insubordinance from your stepfather and I won't tolerate it from you, either. Now keep your mouth shut and let me finish. You're incredibly stupid," the tall man paused to puff on his cigarette. "But you've got instincts. I've heard you're quite the intelligent young man, too. Not to mention you have excellent taste in women. Do you want to be a spy like mommy and daddy, King? Is that why you followed them this morning? Hmm?" Smyth continued in a mocking tone.   
  
"I've considered it, sir. Mom and Lee don't like the idea of it," Jamie sighed.  
  
"Mommy and Lee don't run this Agency, King. I do. You've got instincts and you're smart. But you're dating my niece. And I don't allow my niece to get mixed up with Agency types," Smyth continued, arrogantly puffing that damned cigarette.  
  
"SHE is an Agency type, sir," Jamie said, beginning to lose his cool.  
  
"Easy, King. I'm not offering you a job, by any means. Not yet anyway. Did Daddy tell you I was approached this morning in the Paris Airport? Did Daddy tell you Serbian terrorists are holding my niece hostage in exchange for Simeon Karic? Do you know that Simeon Karic was assassinated last week in Switzerland, where we were holding him for war crimes? No, I'm sure he didn't. But you know now. And you know that we do not negotiate with terrorists, don't you, King? I'm sure you do. It's common knowledge. Besides, we have nothing to negotiate with. Karic is dead, and as soon as that gets back to his crazy sister, they'll kill your girlfriend without thinking twice," Smyth sighed and stood up.  
  
"Sir, there must be something we can-"  
  
"No. There isn't anything the Agency can do. My hands are tied. I eat lunch with the President once a week. I'm as responsible for the security of this country as the Armed Forces are. I can't let feelings get in the way. That's just the way it goes, kiddie," Smyth said firmly. "If Beth's father were alive today, he'd skin me alive. Then again, if Beth's father were alive today, we probably wouldn't be in this position in the first place."  
  
The two men stood eye to eye for a moment. Smyth took one final puff off his cigarette and exited the office, leaving Jamie standing in the middle of the room in a complete daze. He stood there for several minutes reviewing what Smyth had just thrown in his face. 'There isn't anything the Agency can do.' A smirk crossed Jamie's face as he realized he wasn't part of the Agency. He sat down on the couch and waited for Lee.  
  
  
  
Beth sat alone for most of the day in the study. She didn't hear any noise from within the building, but outside sounded like they were probably still in the city. Maybe an embassy or hotel. But what kind of hotel would be furnished like this? She groaned loudly and flopped backwards onto the couch she'd been occupying most of the day.  
  
The small woman entered the room again and took a seat in a chair across from Beth.  
  
"We've been notified that Dr. Smyth made it back into the country about an hour ago, Elizabeth. We'll be contacting the Americans shortly to see where your fate lies," Emilija said calmly. "I know your uncle will cooperate."  
  
"My uncle is the director of covert operations for the most powerful and secretive agency in this country, Ms. Karic. My uncle does not negotiate with terrorists," Beth said coolly.  
  
"Oh, well, he'll negotiate this time. Once we notify him of how we plan on terminating you," the woman replied in thick accent.  
  
"He won't give you anything for me."  
  
"No, you're probably right about that. But he'll work with us when he realizes we're going to blow up the Capitol building while the Senate is in session, my dear."  
  
"Are you going to tell my uncle that, Ms. Karic? Because he'll spot an idle threat a mile away," Beth spat, disgusted by the terrorist actions planned.  
  
"This is no idle threat, Elizabeth. The bomb has already been constructed in the tunnels running under the Capitol building. All I need to do is make one phone call, and that building, along with most of the block, will simply vanish from the face of the earth," Emilija said, rising to leave. "Don't you worry your pretty little head about idle threats. We don't waste time with idle threats." The last words being said, the small woman exited the room, gray in her black hair shining in the late afternoon sun just barely leaking in through the covered windows.  
  
As soon as the door shut, Beth scrambled all over the room, looking for a phone or radio, or even a computer. After she exhausted her search, she took a seat once again on the couch and waited for more news from Emilija.  
  
  
  
Lee Stetson sat in the country-western bar, his patience wearing thin. The incomparable Auggie Swann was once again late for a meeting. Didn't Auggie realize a young woman's life depended on him? Lee shook his head. Auggie didn't realize much of anything until it hit him right in the face. And Lee was going to take care of that if he didn't show up soon.  
  
Just as Lee was grabbing the cell phone out of his jacket pocket and getting up to get away from the noise, Auggie entered with a scantily-clad woman on each arm. Lee went three shades of red and tried to say his alphabet backwards to keep his cool.  
  
"Auggie! What the hell do you think you're doing? This isn't a double date. This is business," Lee said, trying to keep up appearances for the ladies.  
  
"Easy, Lee. These two young ladies had a flat tire and I pulled off the road to assist them. They wanted to buy me a drink to thank me," Auggie said, flashing his smile at both women.  
  
"That's awfully nice of you, ladies. Do you think I could borrow Auggie for a few moments? I promise it won't take longer than that," Lee smiled as he grabbed Auggie's elbow. He shoved him towards the back door and smiled again at the women as he followed his ridiculously dressed contact.  
  
Once they were in the alley behind the bar, Lee grabbed Auggie's collar and pressed him up against the brick wall.  
  
"Do you realize you're an hour late? Do you realize that time is slipping away from us and a girl could die? This isn't a game, Auggie. Now spill it, and do it fast," Lee said, releasing the other man's collar.  
  
"You really ought to take some anger management classes, Stetson. Flying off the handle like that just can't be healthy," Auggie said, straightening his collar. Lee made a face and moved towards him again, and Auggie backed away. "I'm sorry, Lee. It's been a long day. Information doesn't come easy, you know."  
  
"Tell me about it," Lee mumbled, leaning up against a dumpster.  
  
"My source tells me there's something big going on in the Bosnian Embassy, Lee. I don't know if I really want to be involved in this. There's a lot going on over there," Auggie said.  
  
"There is a young woman who is going to die if you don't spill it, Auggie," Lee said, getting impatient.  
  
"My source says they've got someone in there, on the top floor. American agent. They're holding the agent until the government releases one of their men. That's all I heard," Auggie said, shifting his weight from foot to foot.  
  
"The Bosnian Embassy?" Lee didn't like the sound of it. "Since when do you have contacts in the Bosnian Embassy?"  
  
"I never reveal my sources, Lee," Auggie said, holding out his hand, expecting money.  
  
"That's all you heard? How reliable is this source?"  
  
"I haven't dealt with her much, but from what I hear she's desperate enough to tell the truth," Auggie said; still holding out the palm of his hand. Lee slapped him five as he made his way back into the restaurant. "One of my guys says she wants to defect."  
  
"Thanks, Auggie. Keep the cell phone near you, I might need something later," Lee managed to keep from laughing until he was out of sight. The slightly mussed Auggie Swann took a moment to gather his wits, and headed back into the bar, only to find the two women had already found someone else to buy a drink for. The tall man muttered a curse under his breath and stalked through the bar and out the front door in time to watch Lee's car speed off from the sidewalk.  
  
  
  
Jamie and Amanda were eating Chinese take-out in his office when Lee finally entered the bullpen. He threw the door open and violently flopped onto the couch.  
  
"I'm getting too old for this, Amanda," he groaned.  
  
"Oh, please, Scarecrow. You wouldn't know what to do with yourself," Amanda rolled her eyes at her handsome husband.  
  
"And where the hell is Smyth? I thought he wanted to talk to Jamie!"  
  
"Oh, Dr. Smyth and I have already bumped heads this evening, Lee. He's such a charming person," Jamie said, wiping sweet and sour sauce off his chin. "He told me there was nothing the Agency could do to help Beth."  
  
"Well, he's right. His hands are tied. I have a few contacts out right now, I'll see what they can come up with," Lee said.  
  
"The Agency can't do anything, Lee. I'm not Agency yet," Jamie said nonchalantly. Amanda and Lee both noted the casual air about their son. He sounded like he'd made up his mind.  
  
"No, you're not. And don't even think you're going to storm into the Bosnian Embassy and demand to see your girlfriend. Because it isn't going to happen, Sport," Lee said, staring at the ceiling.  
  
"I'm going to get her, Lee. Just because high and mighty Smyth can't help her doesn't mean I can't. I won't let her die for someone who is already dead," Jamie sighed.  
  
"How do you know this person is dead?" Lee said, sitting up.  
  
"I've been briefed," Jamie said, mocking Dr. Smyth. He picked up a chopstick as a mock cigarette holder. "I don't tolerate insubordinance from your stepfather and I won't tolerate it from you, either."  
  
Amanda couldn't help but smile at Jamie's fairly accurate impersonation. Lee, however, failed to see the humor.  
  
"So I suppose Smyth's given you all the details then? About Switzerland?"  
  
"Yep," Jamie said casually, pushing his glasses up on his nose.  
  
"Well, that's just perfect. Do you realize what he's done, Manda? He's given our son all the details he needs to go rogue and get Beth out of the Embassy. If she's in the Embassy at all. I'm not so sure I trust Auggie yet. Smyth has no qualms about seeing your ass thrown in prison after you storm the building and do all the rescuing," Lee stood up, fuming. "He gets his niece back and hasn't done a bit of negotiating."  
  
"Lee, I think you're-" Amanda tried to reason with her irate husband.  
  
"Oh, no. Don't even try to calm me down, sweetheart. Smyth is getting a piece of my mind while my blood pressure is still up," Lee said before storming out of the room. Amanda got up to go after him.  
  
"Just let him go, Mom. You know Lee. He's going to speak his mind, no matter what you say to him," Jamie said.  
  
"Well, let's just hope Smyth doesn't suspend him for insubordinance," Amanda said, trying her hand at her own Smyth imitation. The mother and son giggled as they turned their attention back to their dinner.  
  
  
  
Lee paced in the elevator as it went down to Dr. Smyth's office. He tried to breathe deeply, and not let his temper get out of hand. The doors finally opened and Lee rushed down the hallway. He completely ignored the secretary and burst through the doors to the elaborately furnished office.  
  
Smyth was slouching in his chair, watching the security monitors that lined the left side of his office. He didn't even bother to give Scarecrow a second glance.   
  
"And I suppose you're just going to ignore me?" Lee said, feeling his temper flare the instant he laid eyes on his superior.  
  
"That was the original plan," Smyth said, lighting another cigarette. "Looks like it's time for Plan B. I assume you've talked to that dolt of a stepson upstairs-"  
  
"That dolt of a stepson is first in his class at Georgetown. That dolt speaks better Russian than you and I together. And that DOLT of a stepson is going to finish Georgetown, one of the hardest universities in the country, in three years, sir. And he's studied abroad for two semesters," Lee fumed. "Where do you get off calling him a dolt?"  
  
"Easy, Scarecrow. I thought we talked about that temper of yours. Tut tut tut. Only a dolt would follow federal agents into a sketchy part of town and hit a complete stranger with a tire iron," Smyth continued. "He's lacking in the common sense department."  
  
"That dolt has instincts, Smyth. He's going to make a damn fine ..." Lee's voice trailed off as he realized what he was saying. "agent," he finished, and sat down in front of Smyth's desk. Smyth grinned triumphantly and leaned across his desk.  
  
"You're right. He has instincts. Thinks on his feet, intelligent young man. But the emotions obviously cloud his judgement. He's young, he'll learn. The instincts obviously run in the family," Smyth said. Lee smiled at the rare compliment to Amanda.  
  
"So you think he'll be recruited?"  
  
"You know that's not my strong suit, Scarecrow. He's got plenty of background knowledge. Something could probably be arranged if he helps out on this little problem with Elizabeth," Smyth said. Lee stared coldly at his superior in disbelief.  
  
"If she is in the Embassy, you know as well as I do they'll throw him in prison so fast his head will spin. How do we recruit a convict, Dr. Smyth?"  
  
"Scarecrow, Scarecrow. Oh, ye of little faith. Do you realize I have plenty of pull with the President? Officially, I can't do anything to help my niece. But if King wants to go nuts and save his girlfriend, I can arrange something we call a pardon. I'm sure you've heard of them, after your stunt in the Soviet Embassy all those years ago," Smyth grinned mockingly.  
  
"How do I know I can trust you?"  
  
"As coldhearted as you assume I am, that is my niece being held in that embassy. My only living relative, Scarecrow. I think you and I have things in common when it comes to family," Smyth looked down at his desk. "I can't let this happen to her. She's just a child."  
  
"I understand, sir. But this is my son we're talking about here," Lee answered.  
  
"Stepson," Smyth corrected him.  
  
"Technically, that may be true. But family extends beyond bloodlines, sir. He's my son, and I'm scared to death for him," Lee said.  
  
"He's a man. Let him decide for himself, Scarecrow," Smyth said, and turned his chair away from Lee. He stood there for a minute before quietly exiting the office.   
  
  
  
A small figure sat on the curb of the driveway behind the Bosnian Embassy, smoking a cigarette. She watched as several dignitaries came and went. The girl's conscience was tearing at her. She thought back to six months prior, when she'd been a student at the university in Kosovo. The country was being ripped apart, and she knew she had to leave. She'd given up everything for a chance to come to America. Now she was here, and she was an American agent's only chance at survival.  
  
"Ana!" Another of the house staff called her name from the back door and waved her into the building. She took one last look around to see if Mr. Swann had shown up. Seeing nothing, Ana straightened her uniform and walked slowly towards the door.  
  
After performing several menial duties in the kitchen, Emilija summoned her. Ana put a pot of tea on a tray and headed upstairs. As she approached the study, Emilija burst through the door.  
  
"I need to take a phone call, Ana. Serve the girl some tea and I will be right back," she said as she hurried down the hallway.  
  
Ana entered the room quietly and set the tea tray on a table. Beth watched the girl carefully as she went about her task. She was startled when the servant looked at her and began to speak.  
  
"What are they going to do to you?"  
  
"It doesn't matter what they do to me. They're going to blow up the Capitol building if I can't get word to my superiors. Hundreds of people are going to die," Beth said, still watching the girl.  
  
"My name is Ana," the servant said. She glanced around the room and moved closer to Beth. "Let me help you." Beth's eyes widened and she stood up.  
  
"I need you to get word to Lee Stetson at the Agency. Tell him there is a bomb being constructed underneath the Capitol building, and they're planning to detonate it while Senate is in session. Tell him I will probably be in the Capitol at that time. Tell him that I'm fine," Beth looked down at her finger. "If he questions you, give him this," she said, slipping the ring of her middle finger. "And tell him to tell Jamie I plan on wearing that ring again. Tell him not to negotiate. I'm going to get out."  
  
"I will try my best," Ana said pocketing the ring. The door opened and Emilija entered.  
  
"Ana! Why have you not poured tea?" the older woman questioned.  
  
"I didn't want any, Ms. Karic," Beth cut in. "I was trying to explain to her that I'm not thirsty."  
  
"Well, suit yourself. That will be all, Ana," Emilija said, sitting down.  
  
"Thank you, Ana," Beth said. The servant turned and gave her a small smile before exiting the room.   
  
"Well, Elizabeth. There has been no word from your uncle or anyone else at the Agency. Are you starting to feel nervous? I think I would be if I were in your position. However, I am not. We've made them our final offer. If we don't hear from them in twenty-four hours, the Capitol, the United States Senate, and you all become memories," Emilija said. "And with that thought I will leave you for the night. Try to get some sleep, tomorrow could be a big day for you."  
  
Beth watched as the bitter old woman exited the room. As soon as the hallway was quiet again, she continued her search of the room, looking for anything to help her in her escape.  
  
  
  
Jamie and Amanda were conversing pleasantly when Lee returned to the office. His mind was going in twenty different directions. How to tell Amanda Jamie would be recruited? How to tell her that Smyth had given him an unofficial order to send Jamie into the Bosnian Embassy? How to tell Jamie? He sighed and entered the room.  
  
"Hi, sweetheart. Did he suspend you?" Amanda asked, trying to get a smile onto her husband's face.  
  
"No, not this time. I have some information though. Some of it is probably not exactly going to be music to your ears, Manda," Lee sighed. Amanda's demeanor turned serious and she turned to give Lee her complete attention.  
  
"Well, what is it?"  
  
"I don't even know where to start," Lee said, running a hand over his short brown hair. "There's a lot to discuss."  
  
"I'm assuming this has something to do with me," Jamie said, reminding his parents he was still in the room. "I am an adult, and I'd like you to be honest with me. You've never been less than that."  
  
"You're right," Lee said, letting out a puff of air. "Dr. Smyth wants you to get Elizabeth out of the embassy. Assuming that's where she is," Lee began. As he opened his mouth to continue, the phone rang. Amanda answered it.  
  
"Stetson," she said. She rolled her eyes and handed the phone to Lee, mouthing 'Auggie.' Lee rolled his eyes in turn and took the phone from his wife.  
  
"Stetson here," he said.  
  
"Lee, I've got something really big here. The girl from the embassy is here with me. I think you ought to come out and talk to her," Auggie said.  
  
"Girl from the embassy?" Lee asked.  
  
"My contact. She's here, she says she's talked to someone named Elizabeth and she has messages for Lee Stetson and someone named Jamie," Auggie continued. Lee's eyes widened as he reached for something to write with.  
  
"Where are you?" he said.  
  
"Let's meet at Ned's," Auggie said. "Twenty minutes."  
  
"Okay," Lee said, and hung up the phone.  
  
"What's up?" Jamie said, realizing the change in Lee's demeanor.  
  
"Auggie says he's got a girl from the embassy with him. She may have had contact with Elizabeth," Lee said, reaching for his jacket.  
  
"I'm coming with you," Jamie said, standing up.  
  
"Absolutely not," Lee and Amanda said together.  
  
"Look. If I'm supposed to go rescue Beth from this embassy, you can't keep me in the dark. Please," Jamie looked Lee in the eyes. "Mom said she learned from the best. I think it's my turn."  
  
Amanda and Lee looked at each other. Lee's feelings were reflected in Amanda's eyes; fear, anxiety, and pride. Lee shrugged and leaned to kiss his wife.  
  
"I did learn from the best," she whispered. "Come on." Amanda held her hand out to Jamie, who took it. The three of them exited the dark bullpen to go meet Auggie.  



End file.
